1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing video program information or video program content to a user.
2. Background
Cable and satellite television service providers now offer subscribers hundreds of channels, each broadcasting a wide variety of video programs, thereby presenting subscribers with hundreds of programming choices at any given time of day. As a result, a subscriber is often forced to switch between television programs of interest, or to finish watching one program before the subscriber can begin watching another program, the broadcast of which has already started.
Moreover, the onset of television viewing by a subscriber is often asynchronous with respect to program broadcast schedules. Still further, television programs may not fit into standard one-half or one hour time slots, or the time then available to a subscriber for viewing. Thus, inevitably, some program of interest to a subscriber will be in-progress, no matter when the subscriber chooses to begin watching television.
For all of these reasons, subscribers to cable and/or satellite television services are often faced with decisions as to whether to begin watching a program that is already in progress. That is, for an in-progress program, no mechanism or procedure exists for a subscriber to “catch-up” on that portion of the program already broadcast. Similarly, for an in-progress program, no mechanism or procedure exists for a subscriber to obtain a copy of that portion of the program already broadcast, or a complete copy of the program, either automatically or upon a request by the subscriber.
In that regard, on-screen television program guides are known which afford the display of television program information, which may include program start and end times, as well as a brief, and often cryptic, description of the program. However, such program guides neither deliver nor support the delivery of “catch-up” information tailored for an individual viewer and a given program based on the time that the viewer begins watching the program.
Still further, in addition to well known video cassette recording (VCR) systems, which can be programmed in advance of the broadcast time of a television program to automatically record the program at the broadcast time, digital video recording (DVR) systems are known that can also record television programs, either as scheduled events or on a speculative basis based on pre-determined user preferences provided to the DVR system by the user. In that regard, current DVR systems also allow a user to go back to any point in the locally stored video content, up to the existing storage capacity of the DVR system.
Such existing VCR and DVR systems, however, do not allow a user to obtain that portion of an in-progress program already broadcast (including from the beginning of the program), or a complete copy of the in-progress program if the user was not previously tuned to the particular channel on which the program is broadcast. In addition, although streaming video methods exist that allow a user to download digital video, such methods do not work seamlessly and/or dynamically with passive television viewing. That is, such methods again do not allow a user to automatically obtain that portion of an in-progress television program already broadcast (including from the beginning of the program), or a complete copy of the in-progress program.
Thus, there exists a need for a system and method that would, in a system for broadcasting video programs, allow a user to “catch-up” on a program already in progress. Such a system and method would allow a user, such as a cable or satellite service subscriber, to initiate a request for and receive a timely synopsis or summary of major events, actions, outcomes, or other information pertaining to a program, the broadcast of which is already in progress.
In addition, there exists a need for a system and method that would allow such a user, either automatically or upon request, to obtain a copy of at least a portion of a program, the broadcast of which is already in progress. Such a system and method would allow a user to dynamically retrieve, store and manage the video content of such programs. Such systems and methods would thereby enhance the value of video programming by making such programming more comprehensible, interesting, and entertaining to viewers. In such a fashion, such systems and methods would increase the likelihood that such programming will be watched by more viewers, which is an important goal of program content providers, cable and/or satellite television service providers, and advertisers.